Everyone is alive and well
by jteam6920
Summary: John, Root, even Joss Carter are alive, and Samaritan is defeated.


"Behind you, John, now!"

He turns around and shoots the Samaritan operative.

"Two more!"

Other shots, other men falling.

"More on their way."

Then another voice: Harold "Mr. Reese. John. This wasn't supposed to be the way."

Ha answers: "Sure it is. This is what I do, remember? When you came to me, you gave me a job. A purpose. At first, well, I had been trying to save the world for so long, I … saving one life at a time seemed a bit anticlimactic. But then I realized... sometimes one life... if it's the right life... that's enough. Good-bye, Harold."

"No!"

" I'm sorry."

Two years ago, if someone had told John Reese that one of the last voices he was going to hear in his life would have been Root's, he should have punched him.

But things had changed, and it seemed only fitting that he was there, dying, and with the Machine talking to him with the voice of a former enemy, turned ally, turned comrade, turned … the person who gave her life to protect Harold, just like him now.

His train of thoughts was interrupted by a bullet entering his left shoulder, and he fell to the ground, but went on fighting.

Another bullet, and an excruciating pain in the lower abdomen; he was running out of luck.

Then he began to hallucinate: he saw a tall brunette wearing a rucksack, approaching the Samaritan operatives from behind, two guns in her hands, shooting; caught by surprise, the men fell to the ground, all of them dead.

The brunette run towards John, who stared at her, confused "Ma … Machine?"

"No, John."

"Root? … you are dead … "

"Shut up, John, we have only a few seconds; stand up and embrace me tight. Then we jump from this building!"

"Shaw will be jealous … " God, what a stupid joke! Blame the blood loss.

"Jesus, just do it, you dumbass! And don't let go of me!"

Not so strangely, he trusted her, so he complied. They were in free fall for four seconds when Root pulled a string, and it turned out that the rucksack was a parachute, allowing them to land relatively unscathed; just the same moment there was an explosion on the rooftop they had just left; his last thought, before losing consciousness, was: "Oh, yes, the missile, how could I forget?"

He woke up in the hospital bed they had in the safe house, and there was Shaw attending to him.

"Shaw?" His voice was raspier and weaker than usual.

"Hello, big guy; how are you feeling today?"

"Peachy … how long …? "

"It's four days now."

"The others?"

"Finch is in Italy; Fusco got a stab wound, but he is fine now."

"Shaw, I don't remember well … I think I saw Root."

"You saw her, indeed."

"But how … ?"

"How is she alive, you mean? Well, I'll spare you the details, but it has to do with some powerful drugs, some state-of-the-art bulletproof vest, some fake blood, and some bribery and blackmail to medical staff and attendants at the morgue."

"Why?"

"Orders of the Machine: it was the only way to win. And since we won, that was the right thing to do."

"Did you know?"

"No."

"It must have been hard, for you. I suppose you kicked her ass, when you saw her alive."

"I wanted to, but … I was so relieved to see her … and I realized how important she is to me … never mind!"

Shaw was evidently flustered, but Reese wasn't letting that go "What did she tell you to stop you from teaching her a lesson?"

"She said 'Sameen, it's not like we are engaged or married, and I have to tell you anything; we are only friends, aren't we?'"

"Then?"

"Then, well, I was angry, so I … proposed to her … and when we are married that idiot will have to tell me in advance what she has in mind! Serves her right!"

Reese was grinning now "Oh, what a punishment, you really taught her a lesson! And?"

"And, she answered: 'Well, if you insist, Sameen …' I guess she played me once more."

"As always; but you aren't unhappy with that, are you?"

"Cut the bullshit, Reese, or you won't be a guest to the wedding!"

"Okay, Shaw. Thank your fiancée for me, for saving my life."

"Do it yourself, she's here."

Root had silently approached them, then she put her hands on Shaw shoulders and gave her a peck on a cheek, asking: "How is our patient, Sameen?"

"A pain in the ass, just like you!"

"Mmh, I love you too."

Reese was slightly uncomfortable now, then Shaw said, in a sultry voice: "Show me how much!"

"I'd like to, but the big lug is occupying the bed."

"Well, the floor could do! For him, I mean, we take the bed."

Reese whined: "Can you give me some morphine and knock me out again, before doing … what you have in mind?"

Root chuckled "We are kidding, John. I am glad to see you are faring better."

"Well, I thought I'd never say, but I am happy to see you alive. And, thanks for saving me."

"Aww, you are such a softy! But seriously, you are the hero who dealt the final blow to Samaritan, how could I let you die?

And now, something serious. Samaritan is the past, we are not sure the Machine will be back, but I am inclined to think She will. And this means we can do anything we want without worrying about an hostile A.S.I. spying on us; that's why people like us, who were hiding, now can go around freely; that's why Harold was able to go to Italy … "

Reese groaned "I swear, he could have waited for me to wake up before leaving … "

"Well, John, he doesn't even know you and me are alive . And I think I should inform you that many years ago the Wright brothers invented the airplane … and crossing the Atlantic Ocean is easy now … "

Reese smirked; Root was a making a fool of him, but he didn't mind: "Copy that, I'll go and pay him a visit when I feel better."

"Okay … now listen, John. You remember Detective Carter, don't you?"

Reese tensed "Of course I do, what about her?"

"After she took down H.R., the Machine realized she was in danger; not only because of Simmons, but also others contacts H.R. had; the Machine estimated she would have been in a situation of unacceptable danger for a couple of months, to say the least. But then the Machine saw Samaritan looming at the horizon, She reevaluated Her estimates ... "

"What are you saying? This makes no sense, Joss is dead … "

" … because it was obvious she was connected to you, a soldier of the Machine, so she would have been a weakness, someone they could exploit … "

"Well, she is dead, so what was left to be exploited?"

Root smirked "Exactly, John. Carter dies, Samaritan can't go after her to lure you out."

"Are you saying … "

"That my little trick in the morgue was not the first of this kind performed by the Machine? That Detective Carter had to stay hidden until now? That Samaritan's defeat allowed her to reappear? Yes, John … that's exactly what I am saying!"

"God, where … ?"

"Here, John." And the two women were joined by a third one.

"Joss … "

"I am here, John. I guess we have a lot to catch up … though our psycho friend here has already told me a great deal … " Answered Joss, referring to Root, a tinge of warmth in her words.

"Aww, Joss, thank you for calling me a friend … you are invited to our wedding, of course. Bye."

"Believe me, Samantha, I am not missing it. Bye."

Then Root put an arm around Shaw's waist, and they turned around to leave. But suddenly Root froze, then smiled and said, in a dreaming voice: "Absolutely!" Then she announced: "She's back! I knew it." A second later, the two women were gone.

Reese, though happy for the Machine's comeback, was in awe because of the person that was standing beside his bed "Where have you been, Joss?"

"Hiding, in a small town in Oregon, where there is not enough money to set up a single surveillance camera, and people care only about their own business."

"Who knew about you?"

"Only that adorable psycho woman and the Machine."

"And Root didn't tell me anything; I would spank her, but she has just saved my life!"

Carter snickered "I think only Shaw is allowed to spank her."

"I can't imagine how hard it has been for you to stay away from the people you love, Taylor, Paul … "

" … You … "

Reese sighed "I don't think I deserve your love, Joss; I don't know if you are aware of the terrible things I have done when I was with the C.I.A."

"I know enough. Root paid me some visits, and told me a lot about herself, Shaw, you, and Harold. She's a bit nutty, but has always been kind to me."

"So, what do you think?"

"Well, I think that we have had a little team with five people here, and all of them would spend their entire life in prison, if caught and sentenced, for what they have done in the past.

But they had been given a second chance, and saved the world, putting their own lives in danger, with no one even knowing what they were doing.

And you know what? If someone told me I have to judge them, I would give them a medal.

So stop whimpering about your past: it's the present that counts, and the man I see here is a fucking hero!"

"So, is there hope for the two of us?"

Carter cupped his face with her hands, and kissed him softly. "Is this answer enough?"

"More than enough, Joss."


End file.
